Restaurant Conversations
by ALilyPea
Summary: Reed has something to tell Mac, and he expects the worst. Contains talks of homosexuality
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Restaurant Conversations  
**Fandom:** CSI NY  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Pairing:** None  
**Summary:** Reed has something to tell Mac, and he expects the worst.  
**Notes:** Inspired by peja's challenge on WWOMB about Reed coming out.  
**Warning:** Talk of homosexuality.

"You wanted to talk, so let's talk," Mac drank from the glass of beer he had sitting in front of him trying to ignore the fact that it had been bought for him by his "son" and for some reason it felt wrong for him to have done so. He only hoped they had ID'd Reed because the young man definitely didn't look like he was 22 years of age no matter what anyone said.

Reed fidgeted, tearing up the napkin sitting in front of him nervously. "Well there's something I have to tell you," he murmured, barely able to look up.

"Do your parents know what you're about to tell me?" Mac asked, his brows furrowing in confusion as he tried to figure out what his "adoptive" son would have to tell him that would make him so nervous.

Shaking his head Reed laughed, "My parents aren't as good about this stuff as you are Mac."

Mac leaned back, sighing softly he felt he would about to hate whatever it was that Reed had to tell him. "Are you in some kind of trouble Reed? Is that what this is about? Did you get in trouble with your blog or something?" He questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"No," Reed was quick to dismiss that idea, shaking his head rapidly. In fact he had been "reporting" less since the taxi killer incident, and didn't even want to think about what could have happened to him and how much he should have listened to Mac. "This is something a little more personal than that," he managed to say, running his sweaty hands up and down his thighs in an effort to dry them and keep them from shaking.

"Okay," Mac said levelly, expecting the worst from Reed's demeanour. "Did you get someone pregnant Reed?" He asked, keeping his voice calm or at the very least fighting to do so.

Reed laughed, hating that it came out sounding somewhat hysterical and tried to stamp out the nervousness he was feeling right then. "No that definitely won't be a problem," he dragged a hand through his hair and huffed out a sigh.

"So what you are trying to tell me is that you are, in fact, gay," Mac responded in a calm voice, feeling almost relieved to hear the news. He really hadn't liked the thought of explaining to Reed's biological parents the boy's situation. "Why is this a problem?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

Shrugging Reed sipped his water, calming himself down visibly he rubbed his palms into his eyes and sighed once again.

"My parents Mac, they aren't the most accepting of people, and well I can't really afford anything other than my dorm room during my year and at best a roach infested apartment when I'm not at school so it's really not something I'm looking forward to them finding out about at any point. Unfortunately they've started asking questions that I'm not willing to answer until my life is a little more stable." His hands were shaking as he took a long drink from his water once again.

Mac suddenly came to a realization but he wasn't sure if Reed even knew what he was asking about, "You can stay with me after you tell them, I have no problem with that at all," he shrugged his shoulders. "Provided you keep your room clean, your wet towels off the bathroom floor and the apartment from getting too messy."

Reed smiled a relieved smile, nodding along happily.

"Of course Mac," he told him. "Thank you."

Mac shrugged his shoulders, lifting his beer and taking another drink. "No problem kid."


	2. Chapter 2

Danny had never felt more awkward in his life than he did right now, sitting across from Mac and Flack, with Reed sitting next to him fiddling with the napkin on his plate, tearing it to pieces.

"Mac, why exactly did you ask us both to be here?" Flack finally asked, his shoulders tensed as he looked between the seemingly unflappable detective and his "son." "I mean, there is clearly something going on here between you two that Danny and I shouldn't interfere in," he moved to stand up, sinking back down then the older man placed a hand on his shoulder and practically forced him back into his seat.

Mac sighed shaking his head, "Maybe this wasn't a good idea."

Eyebrows raising Danny couldn't help but be surprised, it wasn't like Mac to admit defeat so soon. "Nah Mac, whatever it is we'd be happy to help, is the kid in some kinda trouble here?" He asked, glancing at Reed.

Reed rolled his eyes, "Why does everyone always assume when I'm around I must be in trouble?" He retorted, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his seat. He had never felt more humiliated in his entire life, than this very moment.

"Because that's how you seem to roll in kid," Danny replied, smirking in a way that caused Reed's stomach to clench. "So if Mac mini isn't in trouble than what's going on here?" He asked Mac, leaning forward, resting his arms and subsequently his elbows on the edge of the table.

Mac frowned, looking at Reed he tried to see if the young man would be uncomfortable with the situation to the point where Mac should make up another excuse for their dinner. He saw little of that, and more than a little attraction to Danny from him and resisted the urge to chuckle.

"Reed needs to meet some positive bisexual or gay role models," he said, hardly missing a beat.

Flack swallowed the water he'd been drinking quickly, coughing into his hand he couldn't help but laugh, the sound coming out slightly strained and more than a little awkward.

"Wow," he resisted the urge to drag his hand through his hair and mess it up. "So the kid is..." He trailed off, glancing away from the table momentarily as he attempted to get a grasp on the situation and everything that was happening.

"The kid as you keep calling me, is named Reed Garrett, and yes. I'm gay, I'm gay and have nowhere else to live because I don't have any money of my own now that my parents have kicked me out of their lives because of me being gay. So I'm living with Mac who has apparently decided despite the fact that I'm an adult I need guidance into a brave new world," Reed huffed out a sigh.

"This is why you were invited here, one big gay party," he said sarcastically.

Danny stifled a laugh, covering his mouth he coughed into his hand to disguise it. "So...to make this clear, we are supposed to..." He trailed off, squinting somewhat he tried to figure out what exactly he was supposed to say.

"There's nothing wrong with being gay," he finished lamely and glared at Flack who seemed valiantly trying to hold back laughter as his eyes twinkled somewhat.

Reed resisted the urge to slam his face into the table.

"Glad we cleared that up," he glared at Mac. "Really glad," he gritted his teeth and huffed out a sigh.

"I'm going to order nachos," Danny responded, trying to act like this entire situation hadn't happened and hoping he would be able to forget all about it. "Who's with me?" He asked, clapping his hands together and rubbing them.

Flack tilted his head back and laughed out loud, his eyes filled with humour.

Danny tried not to stare too long, ignoring the looks he got from both Mac and Reed who seemed to have noticed and sighed softly. "You'll be alright kid," he clapped Reed on the shoulder and flagged down a waiter.

He was never going to go out to dinner when Mac invited him again.


End file.
